[TrevorW]

TARGET: NGC 2516 The Southern Beehive Cluster
Scope: GSO 8” RC
Mount: EQ6
GS: Stellarvue 80ED
GC: Orion SSAG
Main Camera: Modified Canon 350d
Filter: Astronomik LP clip filter
Camera Setting: ISO800 CWB RAW
Exposures: 9 frames x 8 minutes 1hr 12m (5darks, 5 flats applied) 24/11/2009
Focus: and Capture: DSLR Focus
Guiding: PHD
Seeing: Average, First Quarter Moon 50%
Processing: Stack DSS, PS CS3

Details:

Visual magnitude 3.8
Angular size 30'
Distance 1,300 light-years (400 pc)
R.A. 07h 58m 20s,
Dec. -60° 52'
Other designations Melotte 82, Collinder 172,
C 0757-607, OCl 776.0

Description:
The Southern Beehive Cluster (because of its similarity to M44, the Beehive Cluster) a southern open cluster NGC 2516 AKA The Diamond Cluster was discovered by Abbe Lacaille in 1751-1752.
Called The Diamond Cluster because of its stellar clarity. The cluster itself is easily visible with the naked eye from dark skies but binoculars will yield a much better view. The Diamond Cluster contains two beautiful 5th magnitude red giants and three double stars. A small telescope would be required to split the double stars. It contains about 100 stars that appear about the same size as a full moon.
NGC 2516 and the recently discovered nearby star cluster Mamajek 2 in Ophiuchus have similar age and metallicity. Recently, kinematic evidence was presented by E. Jilinksi and coauthors that suggests that these two stellar groups may have formed in the same star-forming complex some 135 million years ago